The pantoum, a poetic form originating in 15th-century Malaysia, carries a unique charm with its cyclical structure and interwoven lines. While perhaps less ubiquitous than the haiku, the pantoum has found a steady following among poets, offering a canvas for intricate imagery and resonant themes. This article delves into the structure of the pantoum, provides an example, and encourages you to explore this captivating form.
Contents
Understanding the Pantoum’s Structure
Unlike the sonnet with its fixed 14 lines, the pantoum’s length is flexible. Its defining characteristic lies in the repetition of lines. Two lines from each stanza reappear in the subsequent stanza, creating a sense of echo and continuity. In the traditional form, the first line of the opening stanza becomes the last line of the concluding stanza, and the third line of the first stanza resurfaces as the third-to-last line of the final stanza. When skillfully executed, the pantoum achieves a mesmerizing effect, weaving a tapestry of images that transcend linear time.
The typical structure follows this pattern:
Stanza 1: Four lines (ABAB rhyme scheme)
Stanza 2:
- Line 1: Line 2 of Stanza 1
- Line 2: New line
- Line 3: Line 4 of Stanza 1
- Line 4: New line
Stanza 3:
- Line 1: Line 2 of Stanza 2
- Line 2: New line
- Line 3: Line 4 of Stanza 2
- Line 4: New line
Final Stanza (regardless of the number of preceding stanzas):
- Line 1: Line 2 of the penultimate stanza
- Line 2: Line 3 of Stanza 1
- Line 3: Line 4 of the penultimate stanza
- Line 4: Line 1 of Stanza 1
Choosing the Right Subject
As with any poetic form, the pantoum’s structure should serve the poem’s content, not dictate it. The choice of subject matter is crucial. It needs to be rich enough to sustain the repetitions and transformations that the pantoum demands, allowing meaning to deepen and resonate with each recurrence.
Example: “Near the Porch Rails”
This pantoum was inspired by the unexpected appearance of a red-leafed weed near the porch. The poem explores the interconnectedness of nature, reflecting on the traditional uses of weeds and the subtle variations within plant families.
Near the Porch Rails
New weeds bring surprise—like one with red bead-like leaves this spring,
Nameless yet; weeds were often used by ancestors for medicine or dye.
Secure in ground, in sun near the porch rails, green life brings a new zing.
Nearby, white delicate Queen Anne’s Lace (Wild Carrot) stretches to the sky.
Nameless yet, weeds were often used by ancestors for medicine or dye;
Calling one, Heal All, is better than Prunella vulgaris, its scientific name.
Nearby, white delicate Queen Anne’s Lace (Wild Carrot) stretches to the sky.
Even if families grow next to one another, they’re never exactly the same.
Calling one, Heal All, is better than Prunella vulgaris, its scientific name.
Mouseear Chickweed, Bull Thistle, Shepherd’s Purse are common weeds.
Even if families grow next to one another, they’re never exactly the same—
Spring arrivals from year to year are capable of sowing many seeds.
Mouseear Chickweed, Bull Thistle, Shepherd’s Purse are common weeds;
Secure in ground, in sun near the porch rails, green life brings a new zing.
Spring arrivals from year to year are capable of sowing many seeds.
New weeds bring surprise—like one with red bead-like leaves this spring.
Crafting Your Own Pantoum
The pantoum invites experimentation and creativity. Try your hand at crafting your own, letting the cyclical structure guide your exploration of language and image. Consider themes of memory, cyclical change, or interconnectedness—subjects that naturally lend themselves to the pantoum’s recursive nature.